Resilient wheel



'IIl/II/III/i/II/ IIIIIIIIIII/IIIIIIA' April 8 1924.

J RITTMEYER ET AL RESILIENT'WHEEL Flled Aug 9 1920 Fatented Apr. 8, i124.

JOSEF RITTHZEYER, OF CHICAGO, AND PETER J. GEIMAN, OF HARVEY, ILIQINOI S.

RESILIENT WHEEL.

Application filed August 9, 1920. Serial No. 402,090.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, Josnr BITTMEYER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, and PETER J. GniMAN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Harvey, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Resilient Wheels, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to resilient wheels, and particularly to those of the type in which the hub and felloe are connected by means of a multiplicity of curved spring members.

The object thereof is to provide a substantial and durable wheel of simple construction, in which the several spring members are co-crdinated and held in co-acting rela tion throughout the area of their operation. It is a further object thereof to so enclose the area of said spring operation that the springs will be concealed from View and also that the enclosure therefor will not be invaded by dust or mud.

The principles of our invention are illustrated in the drawings, in which Fig. 1 shows a side elevation of our improved wheel, certain portions being broken y;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section showing a spring spacing device; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged side view of a securing clip. 7

Further describing our invention with reference to the drawings, in which like characters of reference denote like parts throughout 1 is a hub of our improved wheel, provided with annular flanges 2, and having the supporting core member 3, by which it may be secured to the axle of the vehicle in the ordinary manner. 5 is a felloe, provided with a rim 6, having the retaining flanges 7, for the tire 8. In the space between the hub flanges 2 are secured a suitable number of springs 10*, 10", .etc. Each of said springs is provided with an eye by which it is attached by a bolt 12, passing therethrough, to the hub 1 between the flanges 2. Each spring should be compounded and strengthened as desired and in accordance with the use to which the wheel is to be devoted by added leaves 13 secured by clamps or bands 14. Said springs are given the curve of a section of a spiral, and are of such length that they subtend an arc of about 280 degrees. The felloe ends of the springs are attached to the felloe by clips, which may comprehend body portions 15, 15", etc., and retaining members 16*, 16", etc., which are arched to embrace the springs. Said body portions are seated in suitable recesses of the felloe so as to be flush throughout and are secured in place by bolts 17 which also, as hereinafter explained, may perform a further office of holding an enclosing protecting disc. Each of said clips is adapted to receive and hold in relative position two of the springs described. Taking for instance spring designated as 10 Its principal point of felloe attachment is approximately 220 degrees from the point at which it is attached to the hub. It is provided with a notch 18 formed by bending the spring and is received at the notched point in the retaining member 16 of clip 15". The felloe end of said spring extends beyond the clip 15 and is received in clip 16 below the notched portion of spring 10 which it supports and locks therein. In'like manner the notched portion is held in place and supported by the end of spring 10. It will be thus seen that each springis positively attached to the felloe and, at such point of attachment, is associated with the spring in rear thereof while it extends forwardly to an association with the spring in advance thereof.

As a further means of co-ordinating the action of the springs and as a support there fo1-,'we provide buffer springs 20 and eyes or clips 21 which are placed at suitable points between the points of attachment to the hub and felloe. The said eyes or clips have the double function of reinforcing clips by which the leaves or laminations which constitute each individual spring are held in relation to each other, and of retaining pieces to which the ends of the helical springs are attached. Said helicals are so placed with reference to the wheel as a whole that their longitudinal axes are ap proximately in line with corresponding radii of the wheel. They thus directly reinforce the wheel and sustain the load thereon both under suspension and compression. In order that the mechanism described may be enclosed both for appearance and for protection from dust, mud and the elements, we provide an enclosing device therefor. This consists of annular discs 25, having their peripheries contacting with the rim 6, and secured to the felloe by means of bolts 17, which may also be used as the means by which the spring holding clips are secured to the telloe. Flanged discs 27 may be secured to the hub flanges by means of bolts 12, which may also be the means by which the inner ends of the springs are secured between said flanges. The edge of a disc 27 overlaps the inner edge of the an i connect said hub and felloe, clips embracing the said leaves to hold. them in relation to each other, helical springs having their ends connected to adjacent clips so that the longitudinal axes of said helicals will substantially conform to the radial line or the wheel.

2. In a resilient wheel, a hub, a t'elloe, and a multiplicity of arcuate spring spokes each pivoted at one end to the hub and each 7 continued to a point of attachment to the felloe a substantial distance beyond its point of attachment to the hub, and having its felloe end continued to and secured at the point of telloe attachment of the spring spoke next preceding.

3. In a resilient wheel, a hub, a felloe provided with spoke attaching clips, and a multiplicity o1 arcuate spring spokes each pivoted at one end to saidhub and each of said spokes secured at the other end to the felloe by one of said attaching clips and having its felloe end continued to and further secured by the attaching clip of the spring spoke next preceding.

4. In. a resilient wheel, a hub, a felloe provided with spoke attaching clips, a 1nultiplicity of arcuate spring spokes each attached at one end to said hub and provided with notches at the 't'elloe ends, said telloe ends each being received within a telloe clip approximately 220 degrees "from the point of the hub attachment, and further secured in said clip by the prolonged end of the spoke immediately in tne rear thereof.

5. In a resilient wheel, a hub, a :telloe, spoke attaching clips on the telloe spaced at equal distances from each other, a multiplicity of arcuate spring spokes each attached at one end to said hub and provided with notches at the felloe ends, said felloc ends being received at the notched part thereof within a felloe clip and further non-rigidly supported in said clip by the prolonged end of the spoke immediately in the rear thereof.

6. In a resilient wheel, hub, a felloe, a nniltiplicity of spring spokes each attached to the hub and extended therearound to a point of principal felloe attachment on the opposite side of the wheel, said spokes being provided with notches at said point of prin cipal felloe attachment, and clips on the felloe at such point of felloe attachment to receive the said spokes at the notched portion thereof, the end of each of said spokes being extended beyond said notched portion to and received by the principal attaching clip of the next preceding spring spoke to support the said preceding spoke and hold it in its principal attaching clip.

In testimony whereof, we have hereunto subscribed our names, this lth day of August 1920.

JOSEF RITTMEYER. PETER J. GEIMAN. 

